Saving Each Other: Two Paths Merge
by Voyfan2
Summary: First of a short series that follows Kathryn and Tom's relationship during some major life changes. Post-Endgame. In this story: A crisis brings Tom back into Kathryn's life. Things develop from there.
1. Chapter 1

Kathryn stretched languidly as the sun filtered into the dining room. The propulsion tests were finished, and she was going to enjoy a couple of weeks off ... including a visit with her mother to make up for that too-short stay over the holidays.

The vid began to wail, pulling her from her reverie. She considered letting it go until she saw the caller.

Owen Paris' face came on the screen. He looked haggard ... as if he had aged 10 years since she last saw him.

"What's happened?"

"Do you know where Tom might go if something was wrong?"

"Maybe," she said cautiously. "Why? What's wrong?"

"B'Elanna left him."

"What? They just got back." She'd heard little from her favorite helmsman since he and B'Elanna left for the Klingon settlement on Boreth eighteen months ago. Then, two weeks ago, he'd sent a message. _"We're back in San Francisco. How about lunch?"_ She was tied up with testing, but they'd set a date for this week.

Owen shook his head. "I know. They were going to start the reinstatement process for 'Fleet. Apparently there was more going on than we realized: Tom said he found evidence that she was cheating on him."

Kathryn suddenly felt sick to her stomach. "Oh, my God."

Owen nodded grimly. "He found a message that she'd sent to her boyfriend on Boreth. Said she and Miral were coming back. Tom got the baby out of the apartment and brought her to us. He went back to confront her, but now he's disappeared."

"Is it possible he went after B'Elanna?"

Owen shrugged. "There's no record of him going off-world. And the girls checked his apartment. They were afraid she'd killed him." He shook his head, and she could see an old anger in his eyes. "I don't understand what possessed him to marry a …"

"Owen," she said more sharply than she intended. "They were good for each other at one time. And frankly, we're all having trouble. Coming home after all those years ... fitting in ... has been rougher than any of us expected. Me included."

He looked at her with concern. "I see. I'm sorry, Kathryn."

She just quirked a half-smile. "I have an idea of where he might be. If he's there, I'll bring him home."

"Don't interrupt your leave," Owen protested, "I can …"

"It's better that I go," she said firmly. Tom didn't need Owen to show up with an attitude. "I'll let you know if I find him. In the meantime, give Miral a hug and kiss from me."

She switched off the vid and sat for a moment, head in hands. Another casualty of Voyager.

She wasn't kidding about their rough return; the emotional fallout had been worse than that ride through the Borg conduit. She wasn't the only one who received a "Dear Jane" letter, though some folks got them on arrival. Even those with supposedly stable marriages were having a rough time.

And for the relationships that had developed in the hothouse of Voyager, well, whatever she and Chakotay had died by necessity and neglect. She'd heard his fledgling relationship with Seven dissolved quickly, too. Now Tom and B'Elanna, the two she'd had the highest hopes for. She loved them both but her heart ached for Tom.

She considered calling Harry on the Titan; he might have an idea about Tom's whereabouts. On second thought, he likely was on duty, and a priority call would just attract attention. The fewer people who knew Tom was gone, the better.


	2. Chapter 2

Kathryn marveled at the bar as she walked in. Tom had certainly recreated Sandrine's — right down to the minute details.

A voice interrupted her sweeping glance around the bar. "Looking for him?" the barkeep asked as he nodded toward the corner booth.

Her heart sank. It was Tom, though she had to take a second look to be sure. His hair was longer, his face unshaven. His head was propped on the seat back and a whiskey bottle, mostly empty, sat on the table.

"Afraid so," she replied.

"You the wife he's mumbling about?"

"Friend of the family. I've come to take him home; the wife left him and their baby for another man."

"Baby? Mon Dieu! If you need help, just call."

She slid into the seat across from him. He shifted his head and gave her a strange look; probably wondering if she was real.

"I heard. I'm sorry," she said simply.

He snorted. "Is this New Zealand? 'You come to save me again?"

She snorted back. "No, we have a lunch date, remember?" She picked up his half-empty glass and swirled the contents. "Right now, I think we all need saving."

He shrugged. "My father send you?"

"No, I volunteered. Actually, I insisted. I figured you didn't need another fight."

"Thank you," his words were slurring now.

"I'm here on behalf of my goddaughter. She needs her daddy."

Tom jerked his head up. "She OK?"

"Just fine. But she's old enough to wonder why both her parents have left her."

He looked down, but she could see the tears forming. "I couldn't let Lanna take her," he finally said.

"I understand. How about we get you some food and maybe some sleep, then we can talk."

"You don't wanna see my room," he muttered.

"Probably not," she deadpanned. "I have a hotel room; there's a bed for you."

"Yeah ... sure ..." He seemed disoriented. She called the barkeep over and quickly paid the check before they walked him out to a hovertaxi.

He kept muttering all the way to the hotel. "Don't understand …. why weren't we enough?" Kathryn wished she had an answer.

He was strangely quiet as she led him up to her suite and steered him toward the smaller bedroom. He obediently sat on the bed and drank the glass of water she handed him, but showed little reaction to the detox hypospray she pressed into his neck. She finally pushed him back on the bed and leaned in to pull a cover over him. Next thing she knew, he'd pulled her down on top of him. His mouth found hers and he was kissing her frantically.

And God help her, she responded. He tasted like stale whiskey, but her mouth and tongue dueled with his and she pressed herself into his embrace. The warning bells finally went off when he pulled at her shirt, and she quickly rolled away, but not before he grabbed her arm.

"Isn't this what you wanted ... what you came for?" he asked drunkenly. She shook her head. "You don't want me, either," he said plaintively.

"I'm not here to take advantage of you. I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry." He looked at her, not comprehending. She sighed, mostly at herself, and shook her arm loose. "Thomas, you really need a bath. You smell," she said. "Get some sleep."

She went into the living room and sat down, shaken by her behavior. She pulled herself back to the present: she had a call to make.

**XXX**

In the morning, she was sitting on the balcony when she heard something behind her. She turned to see Tom standing in the living room, a bit unsteady but showered and wearing the hotel robe.

"Good morning. How's the head?" He grimaced in response and moved to the couch.

"Think you could eat something? I can replicate some toast."

He nodded, and she brought up the food and a glass of water.

"Let's start with this ... if you need something, I brought a med kit."

He ate as she sipped her coffee. "Thank you, that's better," he said, his voice stronger. He was silent for a moment. "I don't remember a lot ... you saying something about not wanting my father to come. After that ..." he shook his head.

"That's close. I said I would find you, but I didn't tell him where I was going."

"Thank you," he whispered. "I know you're busy, but this means a lot to me." He shifted, then stopped, wincing.

She was next to him in an instant. "What's wrong?"

"You have a bone regenerator in that kit? I think I have a cracked rib."

She raised an eyebrow. He shook his head. "The fight ... when she left. She threw half the furniture in the house at me. I think I was nailed by one of the tables, or maybe half a table."

"Just sit still." She grabbed the med kit. "Open your robe," she commanded as she pulled out the tricorder.

He hesitated. She looked at him, puzzled, then suddenly realized.

"It's all right. I've seen a few of those, if that's what you're worried about. He chuckled painfully, and opened the robe.

It took all her willpower not to gasp at the mottled bruises on his right side. "You have three cracked ribs," she pronounced after a scan. "Unfortunately, I don't have a bone regenerator. You need a doctor."

He shook his head. "Just use the dermal regenerator on the bruises. That will help a lot."

She sat back. "I'd rather not. This should be documented. Domestic violence ..."

"Is serious," he finished for her. "I know, but I'm not pressing charges."

"Your choice. But this needs proper treatment." She thought for a moment. "Let me bandage this so I can get you home. We'll have it fixed properly, and quietly."

Another complication: As much as he wanted to get Miral, Tom couldn't face his parents at the moment. Kathryn lightly ordered him to the barbershop, then made a call.

"I'm happy to have you for a few extra days, Katie," her mother said, "just bring Tom along. I'll see what I can do from this end."

**XXX**

Phoebe met them at the transport station. It was a quiet return until Tom got to the front porch. The screen door banged open, and Miral ran out at top speed, yelling "Dada! Dada!" He grabbed her and hugged her tightly, whispering comfort into her ear.

They all looked up to see Gretchen in the doorway, flanked by Tom's sisters, Kathleen and Moira. Tom stiffened a bit as his sisters came out; they ignored that and in turn, hugged and kissed him.

"All right, how did you get Miral away from Mom and Dad?" he asked once they'd come inside. Gretchen had enticed the child into the kitchen for cookies so they could all talk.

"Oh, well," Kathleen said, "they had a bloody fit. But Moira pointed out that it kept Miral out of reach, just in case B'Elanna decided to come back."

"Not to mention," Moira added, "that she might think twice about confronting Kathryn. And if Kathryn wouldn't shoot her, Gretchen just might."

"We went to your place and cleaned out your stuff. Brought some; left some at my house," Kathleen said.

"And we need to talk about that," Moira said. "That place was a shambles. We threw a lot into the recycler. But first, I went through your messages ... sorry ... but there is something you need to see right now," she said, handing him a PADD.

Tom read it and whistled. "Well, that didn't take long," he said, handing the PADD to Kathryn.

"The Boreth court has granted her a divorce? And given her full custody of Miral?" she read incredulously.

"Yeah, wish _I_ could get a case through court that quickly," Moira quipped. "Look, divorce law isn't my specialty, but I know a few things. Court decisions under Q'onoS law don't necessarily use due process, so they don't get automatic recognition. You can take this to Federation Court. I also suspect the court would be cautious about that custody decree, especially with the political situation right now.

"My colleagues suggested a lawyer who's an expert in cross-world custody cases. Turns out we have a mutual friend, so I did some arm-twisting. He's agreed to take a vid call today to discuss your options.

"Tom," she continued more softly. "Mom said that she was cheating on you. But I need to ask: Do you want to contest the divorce? Any chance you want to work things out?"

Tom sat silently for a moment, then looked at the PADD again. "No, there's no point. It's over."

"Do you want to contest the custody order?'

"Oh, hell, yes," he said firmly.

Moira squeezed his shoulder. "All right then, little brother. We have work to do."

**XXX**

Moira knew Tom had been injured; Kathryn had clued in her mother. But she got Tom to talk about the fight, and he finally consented to let her take images of his bruised ribs, and more importantly, agreed to see a doctor.

"By the way, Kathryn, I don't know what you said to Dad," Kathleen told her after they left, "but you managed to rattle his cage. When we left, he was willing to admit that it wasn't all Tom's fault."

"I'm just happy he listened to me."

"Kathryn," Kathleen sighed, "I think that when it comes to Tom, your opinion is the only one that counts with Dad." She looked at her closely. "How was he when you found him?"

_Careful here_, she reminded herself. Tom was trying to return to Starfleet; there would be enough gossip. Whispers about a drinking binge wouldn't help.

"Besides the cracked ribs? Upset," she said simply. "He needed someone to listen, and remind him that Miral needs him."


	3. Chapter 3

Two weeks passed quickly. Kathryn had missed the toddler years for Phoebe's children, so she wasn't prepared for how much time and space a little one could take up. But Tom seemed to be a natural at childcare. She pitched in, helping with diaper changes, taking her out while Tom conferred with his lawyer, and with Moira.

Miral was a sociable child and enjoyed the attention, though it took a good deal of reassurance before she'd let Tom out of her sight.

She had to leave for a few hours on Monday; meeting on the East Coast. When she came back, Miral burst out the front door to greet her, screaming "Kay-Kay," her version of "Aunt Katie." It was the nicest greeting Kathryn could ever remember.

**XXX**

Kathryn was in the den, going over reports when Tom poked his head in. "Weren't you supposed to be back at work by now?"

"I _am_ working. So far I've gone through a stack of reports, four calls with my chief of staff and two calls with my office manager. But much as I've enjoyed this, I have to leave tomorrow afternoon."

He stepped inside. "Mind if we go back with you?" he asked as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants. "I need to get Miral settled in daycare, finish up my application for reinstatement and a few other things."

"Don't forget to stop at the Quartermaster's for that new pip, Lieutenant Commander," she teased. "That's the norm for those Design Center posts."

"Aye, Admiral," he said, giving her a snappy salute, which made both of them laugh.

"Have you found a place?"

He shrugged. "I can get a short-term apartment till I find something."

"Not inclined to go to your folks, eh?"

"The lawyer says I need to prove that I can take care of Miral on my own. Like I didn't do that on Boreth. Which the Klingons found hilarious."

Kathryn considered. "Well, if you want, you can house-sit for me. I''ll be shuttling back and forth to McKinley for the next six weeks."

He brightened, then sobered. "I don't want to impose; you and your mom have been more than generous."

"Hey, you're doing me a favor. Now if you're still around after Miral graduates college, I might have to say something."

He laughed again. A nice sound. "Thank you, I appreciate this. I'll help out. I can even cook a decent meal for you when you're home."

"Really? You're hired then," Kathryn teased as the vid went off again.

Gretchen stopped by, bringing a carafe of coffee. "Bless you, Mom," Kathryn murmured as she looked over yet another report. But out of the corner of her eye, she notice that her mom was still there. "What's up?" she asked as she put down the PADD.

"I overheard your invitation to Tom. Just be aware that could stir up some malicious gossip. I don't want you accused of being the cause of his divorce."

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time people have speculated about my ties to someone," she said, frowning. "Anyway, I assume you heard that the invitation is to house-sit. I _am_ going to be spending quite a bit of time at McKinley, so there won't be a lot to gossip about." She picked up her PADD again. "The house next door to Sam Wildman's is for sale. Maybe he can buy it. Naomi's old enough to babysit."

Gretchen smiled at that and patted her daughter's arm as she got up. "All right, Katie. But this is an emotional time for Tom, and things are going to be tricky until the legalities are sorted out. Just be careful ... on all fronts."

Gretchen shook her head as she went back to the kitchen. She'd hated to bring that up. Despite the sadness of Tom's situation, there had been a great deal of laughter in the house these past two weeks. It was amazing to see how at ease Katie and Tom were together. They teased and bantered and told Voyager stories about each other, though she suspected that some were heavily edited. A debate over tenderloin sandwiches landed them all at a favorite restaurant in Bloomington. Miral had been wary of root beer — until she tasted it.

But some of that closeness worried her. The casual touches, their lounging on the couch in the evenings. She knew Katie had been very much alone all those years, the gossip about her first officer notwithstanding. As for Tom, his marriage had been pulled out from under him. A rebound affair could end in emotional and professional disaster for both of them.

**XXX **

"Nice house," Tom remarked as they arrived. "Though I'm surprised you're not on Admiral's Row."

Kathryn wrinkled her nose. "I hate those new townhomes. And I certainly didn't want one of those huge places in Old Marin. This felt comfortable, even it if is below my social currency status, and there's a nice mix of folks. Sam and Gresh are just down the street, so Naomi pops in a lot. They have Icheb over for dinner about once a month, and they kindly include me. I'm sure you'd be welcome, too."

He smiled at the mention. "I haven't seen Sam or Naomi or Icheb in forever. I've missed everyone. Including you."

"Thank you sir," she teased. "I've missed you, too."

**XXX**

First day back in the office, and she was more than happy to come home. She opened the door to the smell of Italian food and Miral's hug.

Tom came out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a towel, which made her smile.

"Dinner is pasta and sauce, with salad for us. We've been out most of the day, so I didn't have a lot of time."

"It smells wonderful," she said, suddenly realizing she hadn't had lunch.

A quick change of clothes, and she sat down and took a forkful of pasta ... then took a closer look. She raised an eyebrow and looked over at Tom. "Bunnies?" she mouthed.

Tom just nodded over at Miral, who was frowning at her plate. "Hey, Squirt," he said, "take a look at that pasta. I made it just for you."

Miral put a piece on her spoon and inspected it; then broke into giggles. That was all it took; she happily began to eat.

Kathryn chuckled. "Well, bunnies it is."


	4. Chapter 4

Saturday morning was unseasonably warm enough to have coffee on the patio. Tom poked his head out the door. "I'm taking Miral on her first hover-trolley ride. Your neighbor told me about a market over in Nob Hill. Want to come?"

Miral was entranced by the trolley, especially the clanging bell. "By the way," Tom said in Kathryn's ear, "I used your grocery account codes to get some things."

"Help yourself."

"Have you ever used those accounts? I kept getting bonus stuff because they were first-time orders."

She laughed. "No, I seldom cook. I usually replicate a salad or broth."

The market was busy, and in their casual clothes and sunglasses, they blended in nicely with the crowd. Kathryn was still a bit wary of being recognized: She'd had enough publicity to last several lifetimes.

"I used to go to the market on Boreth," Tom remarked as they shopped. "At least the vendors were nice to me."

"I take it you didn't feel welcome," Kathryn said non-noncommittally.

"_That_ is an understatement," he replied. She'd hoped he'd go on, but Miral began to fuss. Lunchtime. Tom steered them toward a food stand that had something suitable for children.

"On Boreth, childcare was done by old women," he said as they settled Miral into a chair with her lunch. "So you can imagine the reception I got when I took her anywhere. Plus, I don't exactly look like a Klingon warrior."

"You talk to B'Elanna about this?'

"I tried" He took a bite of hot dog and chewed for a moment. "When I finally got her to listen, she agreed that perhaps it was time to leave. We decided to come back here and apply for reinstatement."

"Sounds like things were going well."

"Things were OK. Then it was like she short-circuited or something. She said she couldn't do it; couldn't deal with Starfleet, my parents. She wanted to go back. We fought over this for two weeks until I found that message and realized just _why_ she wanted to go back. I don't even know who the guy is.

"So I took Miral to my folks. When Lanna came home, I told her that I knew. If she wanted to go to him, fine, but Miral was staying with me. You know what happened after that."

"I am so sorry." There was nothing else to say.

**XXX **

"Can I ask you something?" Tom asked that evening. Miral was finally in bed and they were sitting on the couch. "You can tell me to mind my own business, but since we're playing 'Tell the Truth' about relationships ..."

Uh, oh. "Out with it."

"What happened with you and Chakotay? You don't talk about him. All the stories we told your mom, I'm the one who mentioned him." He paused, then forged ahead. "It was obvious to just about everyone that he was in love with you."

"I know. My spurned lover, though we were never lovers."

"You couldn't."

"You're right. There was a spark at first, but the longer we were out there, well, I realized that while I loved him, it wasn't the way he wanted me to. Or that he deserved."

She leaned back and sighed. "I'm not an innocent party. I wasn't above using his feelings when I wanted something. Chalk it up to arrogance and desperation. Anyway, it got worse after Quarra. He was pissed that I took up with Jaffen."

He chuckled. "You were more popular than you knew. Several fellows at that bar had their eye on you." He didn't mention that he was one of them.

"Really? Well, I'm flattered," she said, patting his arm.

She was quiet for a moment, then sighed. "Next thing I know, he's taken up with Seven. Maybe he was lonely, but I always suspected he did it to get back at me, since I was the one who kept her on Voyager."

"Then she dumped him."

"So I hear."

"You ever talk to him?"

"No."

"But you still fought for him."

"How could I fight for the rest of you and not for him? I owe him my life ... all our lives ... many times over."

She left Sunday afternoon for McKinley. Her quarters there seemed sterile and quiet. Too quiet. A quick call to her mother, then she called home.

Tom answered with Miral in his arms. "See, Squirt, there she is."

"Hi, Squirt," she said, getting a teary smile from the toddler. "Won't she go to bed?"

"No, she's been very clingy since you left."

She talked to them a bit; after signing off she perused the shopping options until she found what she wanted, then sent the replicator code to Tom.

Monday night, she was pleased to see Miral holding the stuffed bear she'd sent. "We've had a big day," Tom said. "First day of daycare. We're taking it a few hours at a time."

Late Tuesday afternoon, testing halted due to a technical issue. The engineers were impervious to her glare: This was not a quick fix. So she packed quickly and barely made the evening transport to Earth.

It was late when she arrived home. The vid was on in the living room, and Tom was stretched out on the couch, fast asleep. She chuckled as she switched off the vid and sat on the floor next to him, her elbow propped up on the cushions.

The movement woke him. "Hey," he yawned.

"Hey yourself. That must have been a bad movie."

"I've seen it before. Got your message ... was waiting up for you, or trying, anyway." He yawned again.

"Stop that," she said, yawning herself. "Any dinner left? I'm starving."

"More pasta," he said as he sat up and carefully swung his legs around so he could stand up.

"What shape is it this time?"

"Cowboy hats."

"Well, you are certainly broadening my culinary tastes. Help your old captain up, will you?"

**XXX**

He handed her a PADD as they ate. "Today's big news: I'm officially divorced."

Since Tom was not contesting, a Federation court had accepted the divorce decree, effective the date it was issued. The court also set a hearing date to review the custody decree, issued an order giving Tom full custody of Miral in the meantime, and …

She looked at Tom. "A no-contact order?"

"I think it was Moira's idea. She's worried that B'Elanna's going to snatch her away. We certainly don't have much to talk about."

He took back the PADD. "I guess I'm relieved, but that's about it. In some ways, I still can't believe it."

She rested her hand on his arm. "I'm sorry. I know it sounds trite, but you'll get through this."

He put his hand over hers and squeezed it. "I know, but I wish we could get a quicker hearing date. It's going to be a long six months."

"In some ways, it will be," she said, returning the squeeze.


	5. Chapter 5

Life was not dull with Tom around. Kathryn never knew what she'd find when she came home. One day he was in the backyard, cooking dinner on a new grill.

"It's too nice to stay in the kitchen," he mock-complained, "and you didn't have one."

"That's because I don't cook," she mock-growled.

Today, she could hear voices coming from the back yard where Miral was playing with a young Klingon boy. Miral saw her and ran to the door, the boy trailing along.

"Hey, Squirt," she said. "Who's your friend?"

"Aval," she managed.

"Hello, Aval," she said, noting that Tom was sitting on the patio talking with a Klingon couple, both in Starfleet uniform. All three stood up as she walked out to greet them.

Tom made the introductions: "This is Captain Gral, of the House of Joha; his wife, Captain Yallith; and you've met Aval. Captain Gral is the new dean of tactics at the Academy. Captain Yallith is a physician at Starfleet Medical. She's already met the Doctor."

"Admiral, it is an honor to meet you," Gral said. "Yes," Yallith agreed. "Your former doctor holds you in high esteem."

"I think a great deal of him, too." Kathryn said pleasantly. "Please, sit down. How did you all meet?"

"We purchased the house next to Lieutenant Wildman," Yallith explained. Kathryn just nodded. She'd been disappointed that Tom had been outbid on it. "Aval and Miral are both at the daycare facility. There are few Klingon children here, so we wanted to introduce ourselves."

"And they got me," Tom joked.

"You will do," Gral joked back, which took Kathryn a bit by surprise. "Lieutenant Paris has explained the situation to us," he began, only to be interrupted by a commotion between the children. He and Tom jumped up to referee, leaving her with Yallith.

"I did not wish to embarrass Lieutenant Paris," she said quietly. "Is Miral's mother nearby?"

"Last I heard, she is on Boreth."

She frowned. "He asked if we could suggest a means to teach Miral about her heritage. Normally, that would be her mother's responsibility. I am surprised that a Starfleet officer would choose Boreth." She paused. "It is good of you to take them into your home."

"Well, Tom is doing me a favor, since I'm traveling a great deal. And I wanted some stability for my goddaughter."

Yallith looked puzzled. "I am Miral's soh-chim," she explained.

Yallith smiled broadly, and Kathryn could feel a new wave of respect from her. "Ah! We have invited Lieutenant Paris and Miral to join in our celebrations. As Miral's soh-chim, you must join us, too."

"Thank you, I'm honored," Kathryn said, though she had a few worries about possible menus.

**XXX**

Friday, and Kathryn decided not to go into the office, since she was leaving on Sunday. She got up late to a deserted house, but shook it off as she replicated coffee and went outside to read the daily briefing.

"There you are, sleepyhead," Tom called from the kitchen. He came out with a mug and sat next to her. "Miral's off to daycare. Mom is going to pick her up at lunch so they can have an afternoon together." He took a sip. "Feel like a little road trip? I bet you haven't seen much of the continent."

"Depends, where are we going?"

"Just east of Reno."

"Why?"

"Come along and find out. We could have lunch at Lake Tahoe."

"All right. I haven't seen Tahoe since I was at the Academy."

"Good," he said, gently elbowing her arm. "I suggest jeans and sturdy shoes or sneakers."

**xxx**

On arrival, Tom collected a rental hovercar ... a sleek-looking two-seater.

"Nice; will it do Warp 6?"

His grin was devilish. "Let's find out."

They buzzed along the roads, finally pulling up to a scrapyard.

"You've got to be kidding. You looking for a classic car?"

"No, a hovercycle." He noted her puzzled look. "Kathryn," he sighed, "I need a project. Everything is in limbo: Starfleet, custody, finding a house. I need to accomplish _something_. Besides, Miral's in daycare, you're working ... it's pretty quiet around there."

She couldn't argue, so she just nodded and followed him in. A few minutes later, they were poking around the scrap metal.

"What are we looking for?"

"A Zip King 400, 2350 model. It's an interesting bike; uses an ion drive." He stopped and pointed ... " and there it is."

It didn't look like much to her. A mostly intact cycle, missing wheels and one fender. She stood on the small retaining wall and watched him inspect it before he attached a transporter tag. "Not bad; guy said there were some other parts from this model ..." He climbed up the pile of scrap, then stopped. "Holy crap!"

"What?"

He bounded down and ran up to her. "Come here," he said, holding out his arms. "You've got to see this!"

"This better be good," she muttered as he pulled her off the wall. He grabbed her hand and led her up the pile. "There!" he said, pointing to a hulk of a hovercycle.

"OK ..."

"It's a Cloud Queen 6500. Made between 2325 and 30. It's a real classic!"

It looked to be in worse shape than the other one. Then again, it was old. He scrambled down to look at it. "My grandfather ... Dad's father ... had one of these. I've seen an image."

Ah, it made sense now. "Think you can do something with it?"

"Maybe," he said. "Gonna need parts. The engine is a little tricky; has a modified internal combustion setup. It would have to be converted. " He poked among the scrap again, pulling off a piece. "I'll be damned ... another half chassis. It's fate."

"What about your Zip ..."

"I'll take it, too. It looks to be a fairly easy project. This one's going to take time," he said. He rummaged for a few minutes until he found and tagged the other parts he needed, then he took her hand and helped her off the scrap pile.

"This won't fit in the living room," she cautioned as they walked back.

He laughed. "I have a deal with Mom. She gets time with Miral, and I store this stuff in the spare garage."

"Won't your father have a fit?" She couldn't imagine Owen having an interest in hovercycles.

"He doesn't pay much attention to the property," Tom said. This was just one of the many deals he and his mother had made over the years; partly to counter the way Owen treated him; partly to buy his silence on her occasional lovers.

He looked down: They were still holding hands, and he wasn't inclined to let go.

They had lunch at a place overlooking a portion of the lake. "We've got an hour before we have to start back. Want to take a quick hike?" he asked.

There was a short, if steep path leading to an overlook that gave them a sweeping view of the lake.

Kathryn closed her eyes and let the breeze caress her; she could feel Tom standing behind her, his hands lightly resting on her upper arms.

"Perfect," she whispered.

He watched the sunlight reflect off her hair. "Yes, it's perfect," he whispered back.


	6. Chapter 6

Kathryn settled into her seat for the trip to McKinley. She really did travel too much: the shuttle crews made sure her favorite seat was open and her coffee order was always ready when she boarded.

Nothing to do now but ponder that rather odd conversation during Phoebe's recent visit.

"_Was I sleeping in Tom's room?" she'd asked._

"_Well, yes, but we worked around it."_

_She shook her head. "No … I was just hoping that by now, you two were sharing a room ... well, more than a room."_

"_Oh? I'm sorry," she sighed to Kathryn's glare. "Well, it's just … it's just the way you two are together. I've seen how he looks at you And you absolutely adore him. I really had hoped that you two would get together when the divorce was final. Too soon?"_

"_Ah … no … I mean, we haven't talked ..." Damn, she was stammering like a teenager. And worse, the memory of that kiss in France had to jump into her thoughts._

_Phoebe raised an eyebrow, then laughed. "Honey, I'm not sure talking is the way to go here." She sighed. "You never used to be this skittish around men."_

"_Try losing a couple," Kathryn retorted._

_She winced. "I'm sorry, Kath, I understand if you're scared. But tell me the truth: Are you happy with Tom?"_

"_Very," she said honestly._

"_Kath, you deserve that happiness. What's it been … nine years? That's much too long not to have someone in your life, even for you and your workaholic ways. Go for it, honey."_

"_I'm not even sure how," she admitted._

"_Hmm … perhaps I'm talking to the wrong person. Maybe I should go talk with Tom."_

"_Don't you dare!" she growled._

Apparently she hadn't heard Mother's admonition. But on the other hand … the spark was certainly there … but how to do this without wrecking a very dear friendship? She shook her head. That one she had to think about.

**XXX**

The Borg drones were descending on her … her phaser was useless … her repeated calls to Voyager went unanswered …

"Kathryn!" She couldn't respond; she was twisting out of a drone's grasp …

"Kathryn!" This time the voice was accompanied by a bright light, and she shot upright, gasping as if she'd just fought her way through deep water.

"Kathryn, it's Tom. You're safe; it's just a nightmare."

Tom was standing in her doorway clad only in boxers and T-shirt, though that didn't really register. She folded into herself, resting her head on her knees as tried to regain control.

His voice grew nearer, soft and comforting, then she felt the mattress shift as he climbed in next to her. She lifted her head and looked at him. "Sorry, I'm all right, too much wine," she said, trying to make light of it. Then she winced. "I didn't wake Miral, did I?"

"Nah," he said. "We'd have to blow up the neighborhood to do that."

She was shivering now and he pulled her close. "You were yelling for Voyager," he murmured.

"It was Borg this time; I needed to beam out," she finally said. "Sometimes, I dream that I've been separated from Voyager … no idea what's happened to her, or to any of you."

He nodded. "I have nightmares about the prison Harry and I were in," he said.

"I'd wondered if we were all having nightmares. No one's ever talked about it."

He leaned over to grab the cover she'd kicked off and pulled it over them. "Well, probably not the kind of conversation we want at our get-togethers. But nightmares have been visiting the Paris family for years."

She looked over at him and he shrugged. "Dad had them after ..." She caught her breath. "That's when they started for me, too," she said softly, not mentioning that those particular nightmares involved Owen's screams from the Cardassian torture room. He just nodded.

"B'Elanna, too," he continued. "The hard part was that Miral started. It was during those periods while we were fighting."

"She hasn't done that here," Kathryn whispered. Tom just raised an eyebrow and smiled.

She shook her head and looked at the chronometer: 0100. "I'm sorry I woke you," she said, patting his arm. "You should go back to bed."

"So should you," he pointed out. She just shook her head. "No, I'm usually done for after one of these."

His answer was to scoot lower into her bed. "Come down here," he ordered softly. "Might be easier to sleep if you're not alone."

Her first thought was that it might be even harder to sleep, but he was just lying there peacefully, his eyes closed, and she was exhausted. "You can be presumptuous, you know," she said as she settled next to him.

"Hey, at least I put on my shorts," he murmured, followed by an "Ow!" as she slapped his arm.

**XXX**

She awoke much later, feeling very comfortable and secure. Gradually, she became aware that she was wrapped around something warm; or perhaps it was wrapped around her. She was about to settle down again when her eyes flew open: She and Tom were holding each other.

She wasn't quite sure what to do. As she pondered, she realized that he was gently stroking her back. He may have intended it as comfort, but it was definitely having a different effect. She should pull away … she should … but her body, of its own volition, moved against him instead. His breath caught a little, and his hand moved down her back as he shifted against her. She could feel his desire, and her body demanded that she move even closer.

Finally, she raised her head to look at him. He was gazing at her with what seemed to be a lifetime of tenderness reflected in his face. The sight took her breath away, and she cupped his cheek with her free hand.

His lips gently touched hers, and from that moment on, she realized that apparently, she'd been overthinking. As their kisses deepened, she decided that perhaps some things were inevitable …

**XXX**

She awoke alone, though she could hear Tom and Miral downstairs. She came down to find them about to leave.

"Yallith is taking the kids to the zoo this morning," he said. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

She poured coffee and pondered. She felt … well, she felt wonderful. What had happened this morning seemed very, very right. _Guess Phoebe knew what she was talking about._

But still, a few disquieting things were nagging at her. There were some things to be resolved.

He breezed back into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her. "Good morning, Kate," he murmured as he started to nuzzle her neck.

She pulled back a little. "Kate?"

He grinned. "Kathryn is much too formal now. And I know you don't object to the nickname … unless you really don't want ..."

"I don't mind," she said. "Does this mean I can call you Tommy?"

"Don't you dare," he growled into her neck. "But if we go back to bed, you can call me whatever you want."

"Tell you what, let's talk about a couple of things first," she said lightly.

They sat on the couch, and her heart went out to him: he looked so apprehensive, so afraid that he'd somehow blown it. She reached out to touch his face.

"You were wonderful," she said. "and I really want to haul you back upstairs for another round or two, or three."

She smiled as his face relaxed. "But before we do, I have to ask where we're going with this."

"Where do you want to go?"

She put her head back on the couch. "An affair, casual or otherwise, scares the hell out of me. I don't think I could handle it if it went bad and we lost our friendship. We also have Miral to consider, too."

"I'm not looking for an affair," he said softly. "I can't see us in anything other than a serious relationship. You mean too much to me."

She cocked an eyebrow. "You sure about this? You just got out of a marriage."

"I'm sure I don't deserve you, but I'm very sure that I want to share my life with you."

She considered for a moment. "What if it doesn't work?"

"It's already working. I love how we laugh together, work together, share things … just get along. It's like … it's like I've finally come home. Now we've added the really fun part, and that works _very_ well, too."

"Forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't there's a bit more to marriage? Because that's where serious relationships usually go."

He raised an eyebrow. "Is there? I've learned that the real intimacy in marriage is living with a person, sharing the day-to-day stuff. If you can't enjoy living with someone, can't get through the day without a fight or some kind of drama it's not much of a marriage. And after a while, sex can't make it all better."

"Well, we have been on best behavior," she allowed. He shrugged. "Well, when we do disagree, promise you won't throw things at me."

She winced and put her hand up. "Promise," she said softly.

Kathryn was quiet for a while, and Tom had the sinking feeling that perhaps he'd gone too far.

"Look," he said, "I realize I can't offer you much …"

She raised an eyebrow. "Why? Because you aren't wearing Captain's pips? I know who you are and I don't care if your uniform has a dozen pips or if you ever wear a uniform again."

She reached out again, almost absently, and stroked his beard. "I'm really worried about doing anything that might jeopardize your chances of keeping Miral."

"I doubt a court would object to our relationship. Hell, you're more stable than B'Elanna and I put together. The court might decide to give Miral to _you_."

"Funny man," she said, giving him a swat. "Well, I think you're asking for it, but how about we have an understanding that we're together?"

"I meant it about this being a serious relationship," he said.

"I see it the same way," she assured him. "But at some point, I will want a formal commitment. I just want everything sorted — emotionally and legally — before we take that step."

He leaned in and kissed her. "You have a deal. And I'm going to enjoy every minute of it."

"We do need to be discreet for a while, even around Miral. She's a bright kid, and she's become quite chatty, you know."

And when we're at home alone?" he asked teasingly.

She gave him a wicked grin. "Come here and find out."


End file.
